The Last War
by Venom10131
Summary: After only three weeks of having defeating Deepground Vincent is thrown back in to battle unpon meeting old friend Zania. He must help her to defeat the army the rise against her, as well as uncover her troubling past.


Zania shivered with the cold. She wandered down a street sheltered from the rain. She reached a rather large wooden door with a large strangely shaped knocker, it seemed some what familiar.  
As the cold started to set in she decided it would be a good place to sleep, the door step was fairly clean and dry, it would do.  
She curled up and fell asleep, finally at ease and not fearing an attack from Deepground, after all the rumours of there general demise had been floating about for a few weeks, and no men in black  
lyrcra with blue strips had attacked her yet so she guessed it was safe. Slowly she closed her eyes and drifted of to sleep.  
He arrived and hour later, confused by the sight of a young girl, wearing dirty and ragged cloths, sleeping on his door step. He approached carefully; hand on his gun, ready to draw at any moment.  
Then he saw her face, young with soft and beautiful features. He recognised it from a long time silently as he could, so he did not wake the girl, he opened the door and scooped the girl up in  
his arms. He carried her into his house and laid her down on his bed.  
He covered her with a blanket and sat in the corner of the room watching the girl sleep and trying to figure out where he had seen that face before. It was not long before he too fell asleep.

Zania woke, warm and comfy. She shot out of bed… she wasn't allowed a bed. Then she realised it wasn't her bed. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and gazed around the room. The room was  
taken up by a few plain things, a simple wooden bed, propped against the wall by a large window, a small wooden table with nothing but a vase and mobile phone on it. Last of all, on the wall opposite  
to the bed was a large wardrobe.  
She could hear someone moving about downstairs, and then slowly making their way up stairs. As quickly as she could she grabbed the phone and opened a blank message screen. With one hurried  
look toward the door she typed "Thank you" onto the screen and head toward the as she was pulling herself out of the window the door to the room opened. _Shit_, she thought to herself  
and froze, one foot on the bed, the other on the windowsill. She stayed perfectly still as she heard heavy footsteps walk across the room to where she had left the phone. Who ever it was clicked the phone shut.  
"Your welcome," a deep and almost husky voice spoke.  
Zania spun around her hair whipping her face as she did. That voice, she had heard it before, only younger. She gawped; it had been years, so many years since she had seen this man, although he had  
changed and awful lot. Upon seeing each others faces they were both stunned into silence. Zania leapt from the bed. She landed only a few centimetres away from the man who stood towering over her  
as he had all those years ago. She stared up at him, gazing intently into his eyes. His lips twitched, about to say something then stopped. For what seemed like forever he and Zania stared at each other  
in an awkward silence, not knowing what to say to each other. Finally Zania spoke.  
She spoke softly and quietly. "It's been while… Vincent"

After a few more minutes of agonising silence, Vincent invited Zania downstairs for breakfast. Zania tried to decline but was cut off by a deep rumble form her stomach. The pair had wandered into the  
kitchen, where Vincent had proceeded to make a rather tasty breakfast consisting of bread, eggs and a bit of cheese. Zania lent back appreciatively in her chair.  
"Thanks," Zania yawned.  
Vincent gave a chuckle. Confused as to why he was laughing, Zania turned her head towards him and frowned. He caught her gaze and smiled softly. "After all these years you still look the same," he mused in  
quite bewilderment.  
She gazed back at him. Staring at his crimson eyes, his half covered face and wild black hair. "Well it's not as if you've change all that much either, the only thing different about you is that you have longer hair."  
Vincent let out another low chuckle. "I suppose so," he looked down at the table a distant look filling his eyes. Then with a shake of the head he got up from his seat and took both you plate to the sink. "If you  
need a place to stay, my friends Cloud and Tiffa have a spare room," he muttered.  
"Ever the anti-social," Zania replied and rose out of her chair. "Anyway, thanks but no thanks, I… I can't stay."  
Vincent glanced over his shoulder. "Can't stay here, or can't stay in a house?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Simply, I mean that you jumped out of bed pretty fast earlier. I heard you," He added as a note of alarm fled onto the girls face. "Besides, it's going to be bad weather for quite a while, and I don't think many  
people will take kindly to having there door step slept on."  
"Lucky I found you then," Zania mumble, hit by the truth of what he was saying.  
Again Vincent chuckled. "Besides what's to say I don't want to catch up on all the years we lost."  
"Oh nothing," Zania said looking up at him. "Not that it was anything of interest. Oh and the fact you disappear every two seconds and have a habit of locking yourself into small confined places, such as coffins."  
This time Vincent really laughed a low pleasant sound. "I see you still hold that against me."  
Zania gritted her teeth, remembering the pain it had caused her. "Of course I do, you went away when I need you most."  
Vincent sighed, all humour gone. He had become lighter hearted after doing as Shelke had said and telling Lucrecia how he had felt. He came a little closer to feeling forgiven, but he still caught himself brooding  
every now and then. He still remained mysterious and anti-social but he tried. Sorrow filled his eyes. "What happened while I was gone?"  
Zania looked away, pained. "Nothing," she muttered and turned to leave.  
"If you won't stay with Cloud and Tiffa would you…" he cut off mid sentence, not sure what to say next. "Would you stay with me?"  
He shifted awkwardly. He was not used to company, or offering it. His offer had made Zania awkward to and she shifted her weight. "As I said I can't stay."  
She made to walk to the door but one word from Vincent stopped her. "Zania," his voice, though still deep and husky, was soft and imploring.  
She hung her head in shame then shrugged. A few days wouldn't hurt, not to much.

As Vincent had predicted it rain for days after Zania's arrival. Vincent had noticed Zania's brooding mood. He had tried to pick apart what had happened during his thirty year absence, but could get nothing. He knew  
it had something to do with her appearance. During the thirty three years they had not seen each other he would have expected her to age more than she had. But she hadn't, just like him she had stayed the same,  
untouched by time.  
He sat gazing out of his window looking out over the part of the village he could see from there. Zania came and joined him, sliding in next to him on the bed. "I get the feeling something is brewing," He muttered.  
"It feels the same, as if someone is angry. Could it be that there are still some Deepground left?"  
He heard Zania shrug. "I need to leave soon. I can't cope with this, being in the same place for so long."  
He gave no sign of hearing what she had said. "I want to go to Edge, and talk to Cloud."  
"Fine," Zania replied. "I'll leave whilst you're gone."  
"Zania, I want you to come with me."  
Zania winced, unable to resist now he had said her name. "Why do you always do that? You know I can't…" she stopped mid sentence, not needing to say anymore. Vincent awkwardly placed a hand around her  
shoulder. They sat held together in silence for a while. Vincent's mind drifted off to Lucrecia, thinking of how Zania was like her, holding something back, something he knew he could prevent but felt too weak to do so.  
"I come with you, and meet you friends, but you'll have to let me go some time," Zania said after while.  
Vincent remained silent, just like he always did when he had to think.

Zania and Vincent arrived in Midgar just as the rain stopped. They had walked through the streets to Edge and then eventually to 7th Heaven, where they were greeted, happily, by Tiffa. The pair now sat, joined by Tiffa  
and Denzel sipping tea and talking leisurely.  
Finally Vincent got round to the reason they where there. "Where's Cloud?" He asked, as if he had just noticed.  
"Cloud? Oh he's at the church," Tiffa said, after taking a quick gulp of tea. Vincent gave a small nod, and raised his cup to his lips. "I'll go ring him," Tiffa rose from her seat and left the room. They heard her speaking softly  
and a few seconds later she reappeared. "He's on his way back."  
Vincent gave another nod and downed the rest of his tea. As Zania sat, listening to Tiffa talk, and Vincent giving the odd reply hear and there she felt as if she was intruding, observing someone else's life. Vincent  
caught the look in Zania's eye and tried to invite her into the conversation, even though it was a bit one sided. She simply shook her head and turned her gaze to the window, looking out over the city beyond as it  
went about fixing itself. Half and hour later Cloud arrived; he wasn't familiar to Zania but not completely alien either. He was only a few inches shorter than Vincent but was very contrasting. His hair was blonde and  
short, Vincent's was black and long. Cloud's eyes a deep blue where as Vincent's and chilling crimson. Zania cocked her head at him, curious. Then he and Vincent Went into another room, declaring they did not want  
to bore ladies to death with man talk. So Zania was left alone with Tiffa as Denzel went off to find Marlene.  
"So, how did you meet Vincent?" Tiffa asked after a few minutes of silence.  
Zania look a bit confused, it had been a while since she had thought about the day she first met the tall and handsome Vincent Valentine. "Erm…" she frowned with concentration.  
Tiffa gave a soft giggle, "if it is embarrassing, you don't have to tell me"  
Zania shock her head. "It's not embarrassing, it's just it happened so long ago. We worked at the same place… I barely knew him, saw him once or twice a week, said hello that was it. But then, then one day, I was  
out walking and I saw him we started to talk more. We became friends, and I remembered him. Then he became sad and didn't talk much, a little while later he disappeared and I didn't seem him again until last week."  
Tiffa hid her confusion with a smile, not wanting to un-nerve the girl in front of her. Before Tiffa could reply Vincent and Cloud came back in. Cloud took a seat next to Tiffa and Vincent stayed standing by the door. "Zania, I want  
you to stay hear," he said, all she did was gulp. "I'll be back in a few days." With that he was gone. The mysterious man in the red cloak disappeared just as he had so long ago.

For the days of Vincent's absent Zania spent her time sitting in the room Tiffa and Cloud had lent her. She and Tiffa had grown a little closer, Zania found she could have a conformably conversation with out feely too  
awkward, but she still couldn't be entirely truthful. She, much like Vincent, only spoke when necessary.  
About a week after Vincent had left, she and Cloud had taken a walk around Midgar. The first place he had taken her was Aerith's Church. There the pair had sat silently in the pews gazing at the Buster Sword,  
pondering everything it meant. Zania sighed and moved closer to Cloud.  
"How long has it been?" She asked.  
"How long has what been?" Cloud replied, his voice was softer then Vincent's, but it was not completely different. It held the same brooding tone however it only line his voice, where as it filled Vincent's.  
"Since he left, it feels like forever, but it's hasn't been that long has it?" Cloud's head shot up, he gazed in wonder at Zania, for a split second her voice was just like Aerith's.  
He shook his head, as if to clear it then spoke, his voice distant as his thoughts slowly turned to Aerith. "No, only three days."  
Zania made a small sound of acknowledgement and move away a bit. The two sat like this in the church till the sun started to dip in the sky. "It's past noon, we should get something to eat," Cloud said finally as he  
rose to his feet. He looked over to Zania. Her eyes rolled back then slid shut as she fell to the floor. Cloud caught her just before she reached the floor.  
He gazed around the church, looking for anything that could have caused her to faint so suddenly. Then it dropped from the ceiling. Cloud caught a breath; he recognized its face and hair. The last time he had seen  
it was only a few years ago. Paralyzed into shock, the thing moved closer, raising it sword but not pointing it at Cloud, but instead at the young woman at his feet.  
In an instance the creature before Cloud collapsed, clutching it chest as a deafening gunshot rippled through the air. As it crumple to the floor it reviled Tseng, gun raised, with smoke drifting out of it.  
He nodded to Cloud. "Vincent's back," he said.  
"Thanks," Cloud muttered as he picked Zania from the floor. "What was that?"  
"I will tell you later, when we get to 7th Heaven, Vincent was right, someone is angry, and they want to start a war."

Cloud laid Zania on her temporary bed. She still had not woken from her unconsciousness. Vincent leant over her, concern glinting in his eye.  
"Who did this?" he asked looking towards Cloud but it was not him who replied.  
"A copy," Tseng said, entering the room.  
Cloud turned his head to him. "What do you know of this?"  
"Not much, only that we fought him years ago, and he was presumed dead."  
Vincent took his eyes off the girl, unconvinced by Tseng's answer. His gaze was enough to tell Tseng he wanted answers.  
"He's and ex-SOLDIER who tried to wage war against Shinra." Vincent and Cloud ex-changed a look, both thinking the same thing, Sephiroth. Tseng continued to talk. "I'm not sure if you would remember it Cloud.  
It was whilst you where and infantryman for Shinra. He was part of Project G, an experiment, an impure and imperfect experiment. You, Vincent, probably won't know of this much either, you were still in a coffin when  
it all happened."  
This time the looks Vincent and Cloud Exchange were confused and suspicious.  
"The person whose copy attacked that girl was Genesis Rhapsodos."

Zania woke a day later, dazed and confused. She spent half an hour drifting to and from consciousness, but was snapped back to reality as Vincent entered the room  
He sat on the edge of her bed and placed a gentle, un-gloved, hand on her cheek. "Glad to see you awake," he spoke so his voice was soft and quite.  
Zania tried to reply but only managed a groggy groan. After a few minutes past she tried again. "Glad you see your back," She managed to force out.  
Vincent gave no reply. He just stared at her. As Zania's eyes started to close he spoke again, "Hey, don't fall asleep."  
Her eyes were open again. "What happened?" She asked sleepily.  
"A copy attacked you, we think," Vincent chose his wording carefully. He didn't want to frighten Zania, or make her feel weak. He had seen in the week they had stayed to get her that she was strong, and a fighter.  
"Who?" she croaked.  
"Genesis Rh…" Vincent was cut off by Zania leaping out of the bed.  
"Genesis Rhapsodos? Genesis Rhapsodos as in the Project G, Genesis Rhapsodos?" there was a slightly fearful edge to her voice.  
"I… I don't know. Wait a minute, what do you know about this?" Vincent was shocked and slowly got to his feet.  
Slowly Zania became flustered and started pacing around the room. "I need to leave, I need to leave. I have to get away, Cloud was with me, he'll have to leave too. They'll know everyone I've been with. They'll all  
have to leave, go into hiding."  
Vincent stepped forward, placing his hands on the girl's shoulders, trying to calm her.  
"Zania, you're not making much sense, calm down, please," Vincent's tone was soothing and calm. As Zania slowly clamed down, he pulled her close, giving her an awkward hug.  
"I have to leave," Zania stated, trying to get Vincent to let her go. "Please," She begged. "I can't stay; if I do you'll all get hurt." But Vincent still did not let go.  
"Tell me what happened whilst I was sleeping, please, then I could help. I let someone else go when I could have helped, I'm not letting you go, I will not sin again," he said, trying to convince Zania to stay, to tell  
her story but it only made things worse.  
She became angry and managed to break his grip. "No," She cried. "This is _not_ about you; this is not about your sins. This is about me and my sins. And o don't need your help," Zania lashed out, angry, upset and  
confused.  
Vincent managed to catch her fists as she beat at his chest, but she broke hid grip again. Then she ran from the room and out of 7th Heaven, leaving Vincent Standing helpless as, for the second time, he sinned and  
let go of the person he could have saved.

Zania didn't get far. After wandering the streets of Edge she ended up collapsing in Aerith's Church. Slowly she stumbled forward until she reached the edge of the water, leaning over it edge and peering into the  
water. She saw him approaching in the water, and accepted your fate.  
He knew her sins, and this was the only way she could forgive her self, as Genesis raised he sword and made plunged it mercilessly into Zania's back, she toppled into the water, gaining a long sharp graze down  
her back. She floated forward, her blood diluted in the water. Genesis leaned over and stabbed her with something. A sharp sucking feeling enter her shoulder then left. Genesis pushed her out into the water, letting  
her float face down in the  
"Thank you Zania," He said as he watched his salvation float away from him. "This will help me and my brother."

Vincent paced about 7th Heaven, worried to his core. It was the first time in 33 years that he had felt so sick and worried as his stomach seemed to twit and churn. After all the time he had spent in his coffin he had  
learned to control his feelings, keeping them locked up and secret. He felt as if it completely and utterly melted every time he though about losing both Lucrecia and Zania. He had promised himself he would not let  
Zania go, but he had broken that promise.  
"Where could she be," He muttered over and over.  
Cloud came down the stairs and stood and watched Vincent pace up and down muttering. This was the first time he had ever seen the man, often so in control and so cool and almost uncaring was being broken down  
slowly by a person he had only just reacquainted himself with.  
"Pacing won't help," Cloud spoke over Vincent's muttering.  
Vincent stopped and stared at the young man. "Where did you take her to whilst I was gone?"  
"Just Aerith's Church, but Tseng is already there. He'll be back soon; if she's not there then she bound to be some where around Edge 'kay?"  
Vincent gave a nod then went back to his worrying. Within fifteen minutes Tseng had arrived back, but to Vincent it felt more like a decade. Before Tseng had gotten through the door Vincent was on his case. "Well?" he said.  
"She was there, and from the looks of it there wasn't much of a struggle. But she left. God know where she went too. Any ideas?"  
Cloud and a shake of his head but Vincent remained unresponsive.

"_I need to leave, I need to leave. I have to get away, Cloud was with me, he'll have to leave too. They'll know everyone I've been with. They'll all have to leave, go into hiding."__ Zania paced and worried, muttering incoherently.  
_I need to do something I need to calm her down. _"Zania, you're not making much sense, calm down, please"…_ I could have done more

Vincent was struck by a thought. "Kalm," he said. Cloud and Tseng looked bewildered. "Kalm, she's gone to Kalm."  
Vincent sprinted from the bar, running down the street and heading out of Edge. _I may not have been able to stop her, but I _will_ bring her back_, he thought with fury as he sprinted his way to Kalm.

"I really enjoyed that little gift you gave me," Genesis said.  
Zania gave no reply, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. The pair stood facing each other on the roof of a random house in Kalm. It was impulse that lead Zania there, and curiosity that made Genesis follow.  
"It is some miracle that you still breathing young Zania," he deliberately used her name, know she would no longer be able to run, resist or disobey him.  
With pain in her face she turned her way, trying to fight everything he was about to say, but even she new she was fighting a losing battle.  
"No," She shouted. "No, I refuse, I refuse, I won't, I can't, I won't."  
"Of course you can't, your mine now, Zania," He enjoyed the pain that fell onto her face.  
"Stop it," she whispered harshly. "Stop it, stop it, stop it" She tried to run but she couldn't, bound to Genesis by her name.  
"Now sweet, Zania, your mine, we are bound together, and you'll do as I say, we will fight, and you _will_ let me kill you."  
Zania tried to back away, tried to fight her already moving hands, drawing behind her back and pulling off the sword that stuck there, the sword she had picked up from her old home here in Kalm.  
Try as she might she could not stop her feet from charging at her opponent. Then they danced the beautiful dance of power strength and swords. Zania blocked where her will would let her, only to be force by the single  
mention of her name to let Genesis strike. With in minutes she was down, bleeding over the roof top propped up by her sword as a cloud blew over the moon and is started to rain. Zania coughed, tasting blood in her  
mouth. She felt the warm blood roll down her chin. She relished the feeling of the blood trickling down her forehead where she had struck it on the tiles.  
She heard Genesis approached from behind. "Your cells were very helpful, Zania, they helped me and my brother a lot. He'll be okay now, and so will I. I won't deteriorate any longer," he leaned closer to the girl.  
"Thank you," he whispered into her ear. He raised his sword high above his head, preparing to plunge it, for a second time into Zania's back.  
"Run Zania. Fight back or run!" Vincent cried as her ran down the street below, Cerberus drawn, ready to strike, ready to bring Zania back, just as he had promised.

Zania shook her head; Vincent's voice broke her trance and cleared her head, her thoughts. She dodged Genesis' blade pulling her own up she raised it above her head, preparing to bring it gown on Genesis. Upon seeing  
this Genesis took the advantage, he would not die by her hand. With a single thrust he brought his blade up and pushed it through the girl before him. Unfortunately it missed it primary target, knock of course by a bullet  
sent up by Vincent, but it still impaled the girl. Missing the girl's heart but still slicing through her shoulder.  
Zania, first dropping her sword, her left arm going limp, fell to her knees, weak exhausted and defeated. Before Genesis could reach for Zania's sword and use that to kill her, Vincent joined them on the roof tops. Firing  
endlessly at Genesis. He continued to fire as he unfurled his wing and flew off into the distance and even continued to shoot when he could no longer see him.  
Then he spun around to face Zania. She gazed at him in wonder. Then slowly she pulled the sword from her shoulder with a cry of pain. As she fell to her side Vincent caught her.  
"Thank you," She whispered, rain splattering her face.  
Vincent couldn't say anything; instead he tried to tend to the girl's wound but to his amazement he found none. "But…" he stammered. Her checked her shoulder, and watched in awe, watching as the wound peeled together  
and healed. "But… how?"  
Slowly the girl was recovering. Clearly the process of healing was painful, she jolted and twitched with pain. After a few minutes she stopped and became limp in Vincent's arms. She was exhausted.  
"I'm like you," she whispered. "Tested on and defiled. Except this time I was a failed experiment. I didn't turn out the way he wanted. I was stronger than most, but not strong enough. He even put his son's cells in me, but  
I didn't turn out right. I wasn't fit for Omega, or any beast. Only Chaos and he had already used that. I was useless, so he lock me up, leaving me to rot, hopping I would just sleep like you did. But I knew too much. I was useless  
and couldn't be trusted so he tried to kill me, but I just healed and healed and healed until I was exhausted and past out. He though I was dead and left me. But I wasn't. Then I gathered the strength and ran. I ran as far as I  
could to get away. I tried and tried and tried to find you, to get you out, but it was impossible, and so I gave up. And that's when I found Genesis, three years ago, frozen in a cave, much like Lucrecia. I could hear him talking, and  
we spoke, he said when his brother Weiss finds him he will awaken and find me because I was his cure, so I ran. I knew then that I would not be safe any where. Then you defeated Omega, and I knew some how Genesis would find  
me. And then I found you. I needed you but it was too late. I could feel Genesis getting closer, and so could you. So I tried to leave, and then you said my name and I couldn't. But I don't want to run anymore I want to be safe," By the  
time Zania had finished she had pulled herself into a sitting position opposite Vincent and he could see the tears start to form in her eyes.  
Vincent was overwhelmed. This was what she had been hiding. No wonder she hadn't aged, she, like him, would live forever. He knew who she meant by, 'he', the bastard Hojo. The sick twisted, evil being that plagued Vincent's  
existence.  
"Zan…" he didn't want to finish her name; she shouldn't have to tell him. "What was your sin?"  
She looked up as him and the floodgates broke; tear streaked down her face, helped along by the rain. She struggled to control her sobs then finally she spoke. "You," She wept. "You were my sin. Just as you couldn't save Lucrecia, I  
couldn't save you."  
Vincent sat stunned, needing no more explanation. Zania had once been Hojo's assistant; she probably had either helped of known of Hojo's experiments on him. But instead of the resentment he felt toward Hojo, he only felt sorrowful _for_  
Zania. He knew what would have happened if she had tried to help him, she would have ended up dead, or found her self in her immortal state quicker.  
With that he found himself forgiven. He had realized he had done the same as the young woman before him. Tried desperately to help the un-helpable. He realized the not matter what he did or said Lucrecia would never have chosen him,  
not after what had happened to his father, and not after all the guilt she had felt.  
Then Zania broke his thoughts. She let out a blood curdling scream. He gazed at her, there was no sword protruding from her, and there was not one but him near her. He stared terrified as Zania held her stomach, air rushing and violent  
pant in and out of her lungs.  
"What is it?" he asked and a pained, concerned tone.  
"As…I…said…I am… just…like…you" she panted. Then Vincent realized, she was changing, becoming something else. "Why… does… it … hurt … so much?"  
"I…I don't know," Vincent stammered. "This has never happened before has it?"  
Zania shock her head. "I… I always thought of you… and… and it would stop." Zania pants grew shorted as she recovered breath.  
"Well think of me now," He begged, holding her shoulders.  
"I can't… all I see it his face," Tears were in her eyes again, and then she was crying again.  
Her body twitched and shiver in the rain, she could feel her muscles and bone shift and change. She didn't want to; she wanted to stay the same. "I don't want to change," she wept at Vincent. "But I can't stop, I want to be normal. I want  
to be safe, with you."  
Vincent's words caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say or do, except to hold onto the girl as she twitched and morphed and changed. He was used to the pain, and his was quick, like the burst of anger he felt when it  
happened. But Zania's was sorrow, which could last an eternity. He didn't know what to do.  
"Please," Zania whispered almost inaudible over the rain. "Please… I can't…"  
Vincent just stared. Slowly he reached out and held her as her body shook and jerked. He was so shocked by the girl; she had seemed so indestructible a week ago, now he held her, shaking with fear. She was so, so vulnerable. He  
leaned back and held her head in his hands. He searched her face taking in everything. Her deep green eyes, the soft curve of her lips, the perfectly shaped nose. Her long black hair as it stuck to her face. Then her emotion, he watched  
as fear swam in her eyes, underlined with sorrow. She could feel her changing, becoming something different, something unknown.  
He shook his head trying to clear it, he need to think and fast. "I..." paused trying to think of something of comfort, something knowledgeable and wise. For once in his life no inspirational word came, he just sat holding the girl as sorrow and fear  
consumed her. "You have to let go, I… I don't know how to stop it."  
Zania started to freak out at this. Driven by something she had never felt before she pushed Vincent off her. Only to be caught by him as she fell over. "What… what if I don't come back, what if…"  
Vincent placed a claming hand on her cheek. "You will come back, and if you don't then I'll go with you." Zania clamed at his words. And some of the fear left her. "Just think of me, and you'll be fine. Ignore everything, right now it's  
just you and me, he's dead, he can't hurt you, I'll kill anyone that does. You're safe now, I promise." As he spoke he gathered Zania up into his lap holding her to his chest and stroking her hair.  
They stayed like for a while as Zania slowly calmed down, letting everything but the strong arms that held her melt away. Slowly she drifted off to sleep, exhausted, cold but safe. Something warm touched her forehead and sent her  
off to sleep. She dreamt of flying, just flying nothing else. When she woke there was no more rain and she was warm and dry, tucked up in bed with a strong arm round her waist. She nestled back into the body behind her and drift of  
to sleep again, finally safe and wanted.

Cloud and Tseng had watch Vincent and Zania from a distance. Prepared to jump in and fight if necessary. They had been tempted to follow Genesis, but didn't want Vincent to know they had followed. He had forbidden them to. He though  
it would only scare Zania off even more. So the pair had watched from a distance as Vincent had fought off Genesis and as he talked with Zania. Unsure of whether she had been angry or crying they watched and Vincent held her close,  
stroking her hair and cheek, clearly calming her down. Then after a few minutes Vincent shed his cloak and covered the girl with it and then carried her off the roof tops.  
The pair had then descended from the roof tops too and headed back to 7th heaven.

Zania woke in the room she had slept in at 7th heaven. For a minute she was slightly confused as to how her cloths where dry. Sat up and looked down at her knew cloths. They were very similar to what Vincent wore, only more  
feminine. She could feel a t-shirt, presumably black, under the buckle up jacket she now wore. Her trousers were now black and full of large pockets, a belt held then up with an empty scabbard attached to it. Only her black boots  
were the same.  
Zania stood and gazed around the room. Propped against the wall were two swords. Her old one taken from her house and a new one, it was green with a silver hilt. The guard way in the shape of wings, they led down to the pattern  
that danced up the rest of the blade. It was beautiful. Someone had stuck a note on it. _Beautiful, just like you_, it said. Zania smiled and held it up to her eyes; the blade wasn't straight. It started off as jagged then lead into a smooth  
curve which flared out and dipped back into a circular shape, only to flick out again, curve in a bit then go straight and then curve into the tip. He was right it was beautiful. She slid it into the starboard, happy with it weight.  
There was one last knew thing in room, a coat that hung on the back of the door. Another note was stuck on it. _It goes with your eyes_, it said. Confused, Zania pulled it off to door. She found that on the back of the coat was a deep green  
hooded cloak stanched on around the collar. It was the exact same colour as her eyes. She swung the coat and on and pulled up the collar, just like Vincent's cloak the collar covered half her face, she liked it. Zania smiled and left the  
room, it didn't take her long to find people. Tiffa, Cloud and three other people sat talking at one of the tables in the bar.  
Tiffa looked up and smiled, "Come on Zan, come meet the gang."  
Zania smiled appreciably, Vincent must have told them to call her that. "Hi," she said to the others who looked up at her.  
"This," Tiffa said, pointing to a large man who had a silver prosthetic hand. "Is Barret."  
"Hey," he bellowed, un-nerving Zania slightly.  
Tiff giggled slightly, "This is Yuffie." This time she pointed at a girl who looked about twenty. She was wearing very short cream shorts, a deep navy blue tank top held over her shoulder by two dark straps. On her left wrist she wore  
a white wrist band and on the other, held up by white laces, was a deep blue arm warmer, just reaching her elbow. She wore knee high boots and slightly longer socks. Zania liked to look of her.  
Yuffie gave a cheery hello and Tiffa moved on, "Last of all, that is Cid," Cid was a fairly tall guy, very short blonde hair, a bit of stubble grew on his chin. On his left eyebrow there was a small white plaster like strips and goggles rested  
on his head.  
He nodded a hello. Zania gazed around the room, looking for Vincent or any trace of him. Cloud slide into the chair next to you, he leaned close and whispered, "He'll be back soon." Zania nodded and looked up to the rest of the group.  
They all quickly wiped the sympathetic look in their eyes away. Zania's lip twitched up a bit. They had heard. They started talking again, asking Zania a bit about her past, this time she was not so vague. She said she and Vincent had  
worked together for a bit. None of them mentioned Genesis, not wanting to up set the newest arrival to the gang.  
Half an hour later, Tseng arrived. He strode into the bar staring straight at Zania. "I need to talk to you," he told her. Awkwardly she followed him out of the room and in to her temporary one.  
As soon as Zania had sat down Tseng started talking. "Rufus Shinra wants me to take you to him, but after all that has happened I don't want to take you anywhere with out consulting Vincent first and seen as no one knows where  
he is I don't think I will take you."  
Zania was about to suggest ringing him when she realized what Tseng was doing. He wasn't saying they couldn't get in contact with him, they just did know where he had gone to. This meant Tseng had already rung him.  
Tseng continued. "All I need you to do is tell me everything, and I mean everything you know about Genesis. If he his planning to raise another army, we need to now more than we already do."  
Zania looked away. She liked to think she didn't know much but she knew quite a lot. Working for Hojo had come with a few advantages. But she didn't want to tell him what she knew, she was ashamed. "I probably know about as  
much as you. He was born as part of Project G; he was deemed a failure and sent to live with a rich family, where he befriended another child, who was also born as part of the project. After sustaining an injury in training he started to  
deteriorate and needed cells to stop, that all I know."  
Tseng did not believe her. Instead of accepting this he sat opposite her. Leaning in close he spoke softly. "I know you know more than that. Everyone does, and he seemed to know an awful lot about you. I know there is something you  
are not telling me and I need to know what that is," He was almost begging for her to tell, but now quite.  
Zania didn't reply, after a few minutes Tseng let out an irritated sigh and stood up. As he reached the door Zania spoke. "He got his cure," She called out. Tseng turned to face her, frowning. Before her could ask how Zania spoke again.  
"I want to talk to Cloud."  
Tseng nodded and left. Second later Cloud and walked into the room and sat next to her. "What did you do to him?" Cloud asked. "He seemed pretty angry.  
Zania laughed. "Nothing much, I was just, uncooperative."  
Cloud chuckled. "What did you want?"  
"Hum," Zania said, forgetting she had even asked for him. "Oh right yeah. I wanted to know if you knew where Vincent was. I want to talk to him."  
"He said he'd be gone for a wile, that he needed to think," Cloud said, patting Zania on the back as a bit of comfort. He knew his words would hurt. "But if you ask me he's just gone to brood."  
Zania made a small scoffing noise. "When is he not brooding?"  
"Good point. Well if you ask me, and I take it you are. He's probably at the Crystal caves, but that's just assuming…" he stopped talking and made a few wavy gestures with his hands. Zania understood, the Crystal Caves is where he  
often went to 'think'. "Well it's either there of the forgotten city. If you want to go, I can take you."  
Zania nodded, accepting the offer. Cloud stood and offered her a hand. Zania took it and got to her feet. After telling the rest of the gang that Cloud was taking he to get some new cloths, Zania and Cloud left to find Vincent.

Vincent sat staring at the frozen woman before him. _It's been a while,_ he though to her. _You never blamed me, but I always blamed myself. I've learned not to, thanks to Zania, but I must teach her not to blame herself. She's a lot like you,  
she didn't let me help her, and I almost let her go. But I didn't. I'm going to help her; I'm going to make it up to her. She needed me, I could have stopped him.  
_"She's beautiful," Zania's voice came from behind Vincent.  
He looked over his shoulder. "You found me, and my gifts," he muttered as he saw Zania wearing the coat and sword.  
"Yeah, I need help finding you, but the gifts were easy," Zania blushed. "Besides I needed to talk to you, I feel as if you're the only one I can trust," she said, suddenly very serious.  
Vincent nodded and signaled for Zania to take a seat next to him. Zania did, for a brief moment there hands touched, but Zania with drew hers, feeling rather awkward. She took a deep breath and gazed over the water to Lucrecia.  
"I wonder if she knew," Zania muttered.  
Vincent cocked his head at her and frowned. "Knew what?"  
"That you'd blame yourself."  
"Hum," was all Vincent said. After a few minutes he spoke again. "I don't know. But she never blamed me."  
Zania nodded then looked at him, "Will he ever die?"  
"Who?"  
"Genesis," Zania spoke his name with venom.  
"I should think so. Sephiroth did in the end," Vincent replied meekly.  
"Hum. He'll have an army, and Weiss is still alive. He is with Genesis," Zania spoke quickly not wanting to drag out the conversation.  
"But how? You mean… Hum," Vincent gave up; if it wasn't making sense in his head it would not be making sense when he spoke it. "Tseng was right, you do know more than you letting on."  
Zania gave a single nod. "I do, I just didn't feel right telling him. Some how I feel you, Cloud and rest could deal with it better. I was going to tell him, Cloud that is, but I couldn't." Vincent reached for her hand a squeezed it. "I had  
known Genesis a little, so I went in search of him, and you know what happened when I found him, I suppose now you'll have to defeat Weiss all over again, and somehow I have to kill Genesis, and his army of copies."

Vincent had sat for hours with Zania, just sitting, not talking barley even thinking. Then she fell asleep, leaning against him eyes closed, breath slow and steady. Vincent gazed down at her. He watched peace shaped her features,  
making it look as if she had not a single worry in the world. He smiled. Once again he found himself scoping up Zania and carrying her back to 7th Heaven, but this time he stayed with her until she woke.  
He had sat down on the bed, exhausted, and leant back, with Zania still in his arms. Before he had a chance to fall asleep, he tucked Zania into the bed and slid off the bed, holding her had under the covers where it rested. He woke  
when Zania squeezed his hand.  
He looked up sleepily. "Hey," he slurred out.  
Zania managed the same in reply. They lay like that fro a few minutes, then Vincent stealthily with drew his hand when Cloud burst in.  
He stared suspiciously at the pair then shrugged. "Tseng waiting downstairs, he wants to know you plan," Cloud muttered, turned then left the room.  
Vincent got to his feet and helped Zania to hers. "Why do you fall asleep for no reason?" he asked as they walked onto the landing.  
Zania shrugged, "After everything he did, it just happens, I just fall asleep instead of feeling sleepy."  
Vincent nodded and guided her into the bar. Just as Cloud had said Tseng stood in the room, shadowed by two other Turks. Vincent leaned close to Zania and whispered into her ear, "The one with red hair is Reno, the other is Rude."  
Zania gave a small nod. The rest of the gang sat at their usual table in the corner and beckoned for the others to join them. The five of them obliged and sat at the cramped table, almost as soon as Zania sat down eight pairs of eyes  
stared expectantly at her. She looked around bewildered and un-nerved.  
Vincent felt this and stopped looking at the spot on the wall that he found so interesting and looked at Zania. Then he spoke, "Weiss is not dead. He's alive and he's with Genesis. He will probably have an army of his copies waiting,  
and God knows what else. We don't know what he is planning and we don't have a plan."  
All seven sets of eyes seemed satisfied and relaxed the stared, Zania too relaxed, feeling less pressured. Tseng was still curious. "How do you know?" he asked, trying not to sound accusing.  
"Zania looked up at him. "I found Genesis; he had frozen himself in a cave bellow where Omega and Vincent fought. He told me that he would wake when his 'brother' Weiss found him. When Omega and Vincent's battle was over Weiss  
must have fallen into the cave. It's the only way he could be awake. And he said 'This will help me and my brother' when he took my cells, so I assume Weiss is still alive."  
Tseng nodded accepting what she had said. It was cloud that spoke next. "Why?" he asked, confusion lining his voice. "Why did he want your cells?"  
"For the same reason he wanted Sephiroth's, they could stop his deterioration" Zania stated.  
"How do you know so much?" Reno spoke in his usual lazy voice.  
"I…I…" Zania failed to explain.  
Vincent placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke, "I 'm sure that doesn't matter."  
Reno shrugged. Slowly the rest of the group dragged the attention away from Zania. Thinking up possible theories, consulting her a few times, but generally not grilling her. Vincent disappeared for a little while. When he came back he  
told them Reeve was on his way. He'd taken his seat next to Zania and told her briefly who is was. "He's an old friend. He's the leader of the WRO, You can trust him," he whispered.  
Zania nodded but frowned, it was the first time Vincent had addressed someone as a friend, and something about him didn't feel right. Cloud felt it to. "Zania," He said, regretting it when she winced. "Sorry, can I borrow you for a minute."  
Zania nodded, unable to refuse. They headed towards the room Vincent disappeared to. Just as Cloud reached for the door handle Vincent spun around and glared at the pair. _Something is definitely wrong,_ Zania thought. The pair waited  
for Vincent to say something; instead he shook his head and walked up to the pair. He gripped Zania's arm tightly and stared ferociously in the eyes. "Best not meddle where it's not needed," He muttered so only she could here, and with  
that he went back to his seat. She stayed staring at him as Cloud directed her into the room. As Cloud closed the door Zania took her gazed off Vincent and directed it into the room, she regretted it instantly, she heard Cloud whisper something  
the sound like shit but she had already gone numb.

Zania just stood staring, she couldn't feel. She didn't even notice Cloud pull her toward his and into his shoulder, the image of the room was burned into her eyes. It had shocked Cloud to, and reminded him of the president's death.  
Of how Sephiroth had lead a trail of blood to his body, only this trail of blood was not so long, and not all of his belonged to the intended target. What confused Cloud the most was how they had not heard a sound, not gun shot, nothing.  
Vincent must have used the sword that now protruded from one of the copies body; of maybe Vincent hadn't killed them at all.  
Vincent had heard them come in and now slowly turned his head. "Zania, come here," He beckoned to the frozen girl. But even the use of her name couldn't break the trance she had fallen into.  
Cloud pushed her forward and she collapsed to her knees in front of Vincent, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. Vincent touched her cheek, smear a bit of blood over it. "I'll be fine, give it time. I'm just not as fast as you,  
he's out there. You know what you have to do," Vincent's voice was lined with pain, it only made Zania wince.  
Cloud just watched, silently. With a nod from Vincent he tried to pull the girl back. She lashed out, hitting Cloud round the face and throwing her self over Vincent. "No," she shouted. She could feel the anger rising in her.  
Genesis had done this and he now sat posing as Vincent, listening to their plans. She let out a deafening growl and this caught the gang's attention. To look like Vincent Genesis followed them into the room where he had attempted to  
kill Vincent. Zania heard the door open, then the gasps. Then his voice.  
"Got you," Genesis said, dropping the charade and going back to his normal self.  
Barret and Cid tried to stop him from leaving, along with Tseng and Rude but he was to strong. He threw them aside and made for the door. Zania gave another cry of god know what and chased after him, drawing her sword and swinging  
it at him. She brought it over her shoulder and with all her force brought it down on Genesis, only to be blocked and thrown off.  
Genesis reached into his pocket and brought out an instrument that looked rather like a syringe. Zania looked at his hair. It was starting to go grey again. "Ah, so the effects don't last for long," Zania spoke with venom and evil lining her voice.  
It was Genesis' turn to growl. He launched at her, but Zania knocked the syringe from his hand and thrust her sword through his shoulder. He gave a cry of pain as she pulled it free. "Hurst doesn't it," she shouted angrily, and trusted the sword  
at him again, and again and again. Eventuality he collapsed to the floor. Gasping in pain, blood dripping from his mouth and wounds.  
Zania stood over him Sword pointing at his throat, about to drive it through but Tseng stopped her, "He's just a copy," He muttered. Zania gave no sign of hearing. She was boiling over with rage, she wouldn't have cared if he suddenly took  
the form of Cloud and told her to stop, she wanted Genesis dead. She pushed the blade to his throat and then all the way through. The copy collapsed to the floor and she pulled the Sword free and dropped it on the ground beside her. She  
went back to where Genesis had dropped the syringe and picked it up. Stabbing it trough her shoulder she took out a few cell and went back into the room where Vincent lay.  
Nothing about his situation had gotten better. Zania could here Yuffie muttering away in the corner. "He had a gapping hole in his chest and he healed, but he can't now. I don't understand."  
Zania knelt down beside Vincent. "I'm so sorry, this is the second time I let you get hurt," she whispered.  
Vincent shook his head, "No, he would have done this anyway."  
Zania took a deep breath and rested her hand on his chest. Vincent placed his hand on hers. "This will hurt," She muttered.  
Before Vincent could reply Zania stabbed the syringe into him and squeezed out its contents. Zania hadn't been wrong. Vincent cried out in pain, jolted up violently and fell limply to the floor, gasping.  
"What the hell was that?" he breathed.  
"Sorry," Zania murmured. "That was a few of my cells. They'll help you heal, because you lost Chaos your healing time has slowed, so I…"  
"Thank you," Vincent cut her off not needing to hear anymore. He turned his eyes sleepily around the room. The rest of the gang looked on sympathetically. Vincent saw Cloud nod at Barret. The stocky man understood and stepped forward  
with Cloud. Cloud moved Zania back a bit, "We'll Let Barret take him to a, yeah."  
Zania nodded. Barret moved in front of Zania and carefully picked Vincent up and carried him out of the room. Cloud beckoned for Tiffa and Yuffie. The two came forward and hugged Zania. "Let's go clean you up," Tiffa said kindly and directed  
Zania out of the room.  
Cloud turned to the four that were left. "I suppose we should get cleaning up" The other just nodded.

Vincent woke up a day later, Zania sat slumped, asleep, in a chair by the bed he lay in. He sat up and pain shot through him, his gasp woke Zania. Instantly she was kneeling by his head.  
"Don't move too much," she said. "You only got a few scars, but you bound to be sore for a few days."  
He nodded and sank back into the bed. Sighing as he did. "How did you know it would work?" He asked  
Zania shrugged. "I didn't. But I had to do something, you wouldn't have been experimented on if I weren't for me, and you wouldn't be in the state you are in now if it hadn't been for me."  
"It would have happened. You couldn't have stopped Hojo," Vincent said.  
Zania only shook her head. "You don't understand," She muttered and stood up. "I'll get you something to eat, you look hungry."  
With that she got up and left.

As Zania wandered into the bar a tall man hurried in. He wore a long blue coat with a silver zip and several other zips over his chest.  
"Oh, hi Reeve," Tiffa spoke pleasantly from behind the bar counter as she place a few glasses back on the shelf.  
"No time for pleasantries," Reeve panted. "Copies are popping up all over Edge. They…"  
Zania didn't need to hear any more. She grabbed her sword from where Cloud had left it behind the counter. She sprinted from the bar and out into the street, ignoring Tiffa's shouts of protest. She was  
going to find Genesis, and this time she was going to kill him.

"What?" Vincent shouted as he jumped out of bed, forgetting about the pain in his chest as he moved.  
"You have to go get her Vincent, She won't come back if you don't," Tiffa implored but Vincent was already out of the door and door the stairs.  
He sprinted out on to the street, heading in the direction Tiffa had said Zania had gone. _Please don't get hurt, wait for me please,_ he thought as he ran.

Zania dropped down into the cave where she had first laid eyes on Genesis. She had been right; it was where he was hiding. Genesis and Weiss stood before her.  
"Found me," Genesis said, spreading his arms out as if to welcome an old friend. "I see my clone didn't destroy you as I had hoped."  
Zania snarled and crinkled up her lip and nose, much like a dog. "Only made me stronger," she growled, raising her sword.  
"How is it you get here with out a single scratch?" Weiss asked.  
Zania's head snapped to glare at him. She raised her arm and flecked her wrist. Vincent dropped down slightly behind her. "She had back up," he muttered.  
"How is it that you still live?" Genesis asked.  
Vincent shrugged, and pulled Cerberus from it holster. It felt slightly lighter after losing the charm that hung from it. He closed his eyes.

"_Hol__d out your hand Zania."  
__Zania lifted her hand. He tied the Cerberus charm to it.  
_"_I want you to have it, that way I'll always be with you."  
__Zania looked up. "Bow you head," she said.  
__She pulled a necklace out from under her coat; it was a simple black ribbon with a green pointed stone attached to it. She slipped it over his head.  
_"_Now I'll always be with you," She whispered.  
__He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers._

Vincent wrapped his free hand around the pendant that kay over his skin. He raised his gun to Weiss and started shooting.

As Vincent fought Weiss, Zania ran at Genesis. She spun her sword, named Newt after its wielder, in her hand. It gave a small green glow.  
"Ha," Genesis scoffed.  
He raised his own sword and ran his hand along it, infusing it with magic. It gave off a bright red glow and he brought it down Zania's. With little effort Zania threw him off, jabbing him with her sword as he was left  
unguarded. She pulled it out, swinging at him and scraping into his arm. Genesis brought his sword down as she did this, just missing her back.  
Zania twisted her body and brought her foot up under the man's chin, sending his head flying back and the rest of him with it. She followed, stabbing him with the tips of her sword then kicking him back up. Then she let  
him drop to the floor. She had known from the start he was a clone. She understood it now. The Genesis she had fought on the roof tops had been the real Genesis and he was stronger, all his copies were weaker.  
Before another copy could appear there was an angered scream from above the cave. Zania knew it was Genesis, and only had to look at Vincent and Weiss to see when he had screamed. Weiss dropped to his knees, then  
to the floor.  
"I'm sorry brother," he whispered on his dieing breathe.  
Genesis dropped down from where he had stood and landed in front of Vincent. He drove his sword into Vincent's chest, in through just below his rib cage and out between his shoulder blade. Vincent made a choking sound  
then collapsed to the ground as Genesis pulled out his sword.  
The cry of anguish, pain and anger that Zania let out made Genesis' seem like a whimper. It echoed around the Cave and hung in Genesis' ears. He and Vincent watched as the rage took over Zania, as she morphed without fear.  
Her form was like a cross between Vincent's Chaos and Galian Beat form. Her green cape had morphed and formed the green hair that bellowed around her face and the bat like wings that now sprung out from her back.  
Her fangs had grown and her facial feature, although retaining there delicacy, looked very wolfish. Her trousers and coat merged in with her skin. Her back was lined with green swirls. Her upper lip curled back as she let out a growl.  
Her sword had grown to, it had swelled in size, and as Zania raised it, it started to glow. Genesis' wing shot out and he sprang into the air. Zania followed, letting out a ferocious howl as she did. When she had reached  
Genesis they battled again. This one was the real one. He managed to land a few blows on Zania knocking her down and drawing blood from her shoulder and arm. To Zania the pain was only a sting; the anger that drove her  
overrode it. She slashed at Genesis, Splitting open his coat and drawing blood to. It carried on like this for a while, until Zania herself started to glow, completely absorbed by anger that the pain in her arms back and chest completely dissolved.  
"Well what do we have here," Genesis muttered. "Someone's lost all humanity."  
Zania couldn't hear. She was so consumed that all she saw was rage something to tear at. She let out another deathly growl and proceeded to lash out at Genesis. But something stopped her.  
Vincent's voice was calling her name.

Vincent moved faster than light, shooting in front of Zania and bringing her too. He stroked her cheek, and her eyes focused in on him.  
"I'm always with you," He said stroking the charm he had tied to her wrist.  
Zania nodded and the glow faded, and so did her anger. He was alive. Then before she had a chance to reply her arms were on his shoulders, spinning him in the air so she was in his position. Genesis' sword pierced through  
her back and out through her abdomen. Vincent pulled her off the sword as he carried her down to the ground. He was about to start shooting and Genesis when Cloud's head appeared over the edge of the cave, he shook  
his head. Vincent understood. It was Zania's fight.

Zania got to her feet with the help of Newt; it had shrunk back to its normal size, ad Zania turn back to normal. Zania let out a few shaky breaths, then stood tall, staring up and Genesis. _This ends now_, she though to herself.  
She gave Vincent a nod the jumped into the air, flying high above Genesis. She spun Newt in her hand as her raised it about her head. She griped it in both hands as it stared to glow brighter than Genesis'. She brought is  
down in front of her as she began to fall. Her blade met with Genesis', for a moment the stared into each others eyes. Genesis' arms stared to weaken, then give way as Zania's sword broke through his, the tip spilt off and  
spun past Zania's cheek, splitting it open as it did.  
Zania's sword continued to fall, hitting Genesis' at the base of his neck, then pulling down. Tearing open his chest. Knowing this was enough Zania flipped back, spinning through the air and landing on the ground below  
Genesis. She raised Newt above her head and Genesis fell onto it, piercing his heart as he did. Zania threw him across the cave. She sank to the ground, relieved.  
She heard Vincent walk up behind her. She got to her feet and spun to face him. She dropped Newt and flung her arms around Vincent's neck. She buried her head in his shoulder.  
"You did it," he whispered.  
Zania nodded. She pulled back and stood on her tip toes, her eyes now level with Vincent's chin. Vincent leaned down as Zania craned her neck up wards. She pulled down the collar of his mantle and their lips met.

Vincent flopped down next to Zania, panting. She gave a sigh and turned over, snaking an arm around his chest. He pulled his arm out from under her and pulled her closer. She snuggled into his shoulder and  
traced invisible patterns over his chest. Vincent turned his head to her and kissed her forehead.  
"You're not leaving me now, are you?" his voice had more of a husky edge to it.  
Zania shook her head into his shoulder. _Nope,_ she thought. _I'm staying right here._ She tilted her head up and gave him a kiss; he followed it up with two of his own.  
"You never told me, how long was I gone before he did what he did?"  
Zania shrugged. "'Bout two years."  
Vincent raised his eye brows at this. "What, so that made you about, what? Twenty?"  
Zania shook her head. "Nineteen, I was Seventeen when you left," She corrected.  
"Did you always love me?" he asked, pondering all the possibilities.  
Zania simply nodded. Taking a deep breath and slowly sliding into a gentle sleep. Vincent kissed her hair and brought his other arm over her. He nestled his head into hers. "I suppose I always did to," he mused.  
Zania smiled sweetly in her sleep.

"Look," Zania said raising her hand and pointing up to the sky. "That looks like a cat.  
Vincent chuckled and pulled Zania close. "I used to do this with Lucrecia, although she was never as good as you."  
"I know you did, I used to watch you."  
Vincent nodded, he knew. He raised his hand point pointed to a cloud a little behind the one Zania had pointed to. "It's a wolf," he smiled.  
"A lone one, just like you."  
Vincent pressed his lips to Zania's hair. "Just like me?" he murmured. "But I have you now."  
Zania smiled. She rolled back her sleeve and pointed up to the sky again, The Cerberus charm on her wrist slid down her arm as she did. "It's us," she whispered a smile danced over her lips. Vincent looked up  
and smiled softly too. In silence the pair watched as the cloud float across the sky.  
A perfect heart shaped cloud.


End file.
